


A Consequence for the Idle

by BigJellyMonster (orphan_account)



Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Dysfunctional Family, Family, Father-Son Relationship, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Over active Magic, Sickness, child endangerment, unbetad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-14
Updated: 2016-10-17
Packaged: 2018-08-22 08:21:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8279281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/BigJellyMonster
Summary: Harry gets struck with a killing curse while he was supposed to be under the safe watch of the Order of the Phoenix. Now he is in a coma and his world will not be the same when he wakes up. If he could survive the curse a first time with nothing but a cursed scar, what are the consequences for surviving it a second time?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know where this story is going but I have a faint idea. I would love to hear your suggestions or concerns. As of now I have no plans for a main pairing only a side one. 
> 
> Also, as for my other stories, if you have been inspired by any of my work and have made something out of it I would love to see it and share it with everyone else who is kind enough to read and enjoy my work. Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy
> 
> UPDATE: Due to a comment I received, I am adding some slash to this story.

Despite what some people may think, wizards are not so different from Muggles. Sure, a wizard may be able to change a teacup into a rabbit with the wave of a wand, but it never lasts. Muggles may be able to go to the moon but they cannot stay there. Both of their abilities are awe inspiring and have wonders of their own, but there are certain things that the both have.

For example, in both cultures, you’ll find greedy hands in charge of an entire populations finances. Children will crowd stores, eager to get their hands on the latest toy. Teenagers will beg their parents to go to the music group that is holding a concert in their area for just one night. Leaders that lie to their citizens just to keep hold to their positions of power. Parents that take their children to get their immunizations so that they don’t catch any deadly illness from the dangerous world around them.

So many things that are similar, yet the wizarding world still fears what might happen if they were ever found out. Some wizards do not fear the muggles, only think themselves to be above them. This view is not shared by all of course, but there is enough fear and disgust ruling the wizarding population that it would have to take something drastic to change their minds.

The same sort of thinking could be found at the Dursley residence. The Dursleys were one of the view non magical people in the world to be allowed to know that magic exists. They hated that. Both Mr. and Mrs. Dursley despise the day they ever found out magic was real and they loathed anyone who spoke about such things.

So when baby Harry Potter arrived on their doorstep, they nearly left him out in the cold autumn air to freeze to death. It took some persuading from a manipulative old man to change their minds about keeping him. They swore that as long as little Harry remained under their roof and ate what little food they would give him, there would be no magic of any kind in the house.

This, is where those few little differences are very important. Yes, wizards and muggles are very alike. However, their illnesses are not. A wizard can have a quick remedy from a regular flu but not something like splattergroit. That is of course what vaccines are for, to protect people from illnesses. But as the Dursley’s requested, there was no magic at all in their home. So who was to help him?

Harry was safe for the first few years of his life. The Dursleys stayed true to their word and kept all magic out of the house. Several witches and wizards that recognized Harry tried to come and talk to him or shake his hand, but where thwarted off by an angry Mrs. Dursley whom they thought was just an overprotective woman.

When he arrived at school, it would be easy, and in most cases correct, to assume that Harry would have some magical illness befall him. But none ever did. Years past, and still no one would have guessed that Harry had never received the proper that every young wizard should have received.

The summer heat was at a record high. Harry was torn between suffering his relative’s presence in the air conditioning, or having some peace and quiet in the swelling heat. No matter which decision he choose he would end up suffering for it.

Currently, he waited in the park under the only tree that provided little shade. His defense book rested open on his lap. He watched as the children raced around playing tag, laughing the whole way. Parents sat off to the side watching for all sorts of dangers waiting for their unsuspecting charges. It wasn’t the most glamorous way for Harry to spend his time, but it was the only one that didn’t seem to get him into trouble lately.

Even when he tried to listen to the news or do his homework up in his room, the Dursleys would find any type of fault in his actions and yell at him for their imaginary discomforts. Hedwig wasn’t even allowed in the house for very long. One small chirp from her and his relatives would start screaming about how she was giving them a headache.

“I really should have a new hobby,” Harry sighed. He could start obsessively reading like Hermione, or try to get better at chess like Ron. But none of those things really appealed to him. In school, before he found out he was a wizard, he always enjoyed the art classes that they attended twice a week. Sure, his cousin would destroy whatever it was they created that day as soon as they walked in the door, but he enjoyed making it all the same.

Maybe he could ask someone to get him a journal for his birthday. He was sure Hermione wouldn’t mind. After all, she would just end up getting him another homework planner if he didn’t ask for one. He hoped that it wouldn’t seem rude if he did.

Mundungus Fletcher did not have time to be guarding some teenager wallowing in self-pity. He had more important things to do, like starting up his legitimate business career. The order thought that his time wasn’t valuable enough to be spent on anything else than watching the brat, but today he was going to prove them wrong. The sack filled with high quality cauldrons he acquired would show them.

A stand with the sign “Fletcher’s Fetchings” stood in Knockturn Ally. Sure it wasn’t the grandest of beginnings, but it was a start none the less. He had already sold five of his wares and the night was still young. His customers seemed to like the low prices he had to offer. Might as well, if he got them for a steal then why shouldn’t his customers?

However, a nagging feeling would not go away. He did promise to watch over the brat for a certain time didn’t he? It was easy to shrug it off for a while every time another galleon was placed in his hands. “Na, he will be fine!” He would tell himself. “Nothing ever happened on anyone’s watch so far anyway.”

“Hello,” A tall man in a blue robe greeted him with a kind smile. “How long to you plan on being here exactly? I would love to purchase one of your… fine wares. But, I am afraid I do not have the funds with me at the moment.”

“Of course! Not to worry, I will be here for the next few hours or so. That should give you plenty of time I hope?” Mundungus informed him with a hopeful smile.

“Wonderful,” The man clasped his hands together. “I hope I won’t be too long then.” The man walked away with a promise of returning.

Time passed by all too slowly for Harry. Families came and went, children begged their mothers for “Five more minutes, please”, and soon he was left all alone under the darkening sky. It was a bittersweet feeling watching those families. He was jealous of how happy they looked together. Even when he saw brothers and sisters arguing with one another, he could only imagine what that could be like. He also knew, that if he still had his parents, those children might not have ever known what that felt like either.

The sun was almost hidden buy the horizon. The heat from the afternoon was only just creeping away. If he wasn’t home before his cousin, then that would only give his relatives more reason to yell at him, maybe even form some sort of punishment. Harry gathered his things, and started his way back to Private Drive.

A sound behind him stopped him in his tracks. There a man much taller than him stood holding a wand in his hand. The man had dark hair, and an unshaven face. His dark blue robes seemed highly out of place in the muggle area. The heat alone would make anyone question his choice of clothing.

“Hello?” Harry questioned uncertainly. It was never a good thing for him for strange wizards to approach him with their wands already in their hands.

The man looking him up and down completely unimpressed. “All these years, and how easy it was to find you.”

Harry tensed.

“You’re a long way away from the safety of your wards, boy. How happy my master will be once your death is on the front page of the daily prophet,” The man sneered. Before Harry could comprehend what the man said, there was a flash of Green light, and everything went black.

“Hello again,” Mundungus greeted his returning customer. “That didn’t take too long.”

“The line was much shorter than I was expecting it to be,” the man laughed. “Here you are.” He handed Mundungus a Galleon in exchange for his cauldron. “I hope to do business with you again.”

“And you as well!” Mundungus replied happily. Mundungus stretched happily and sat in the chair behind him. He couldn’t wait to laugh in the faces of those who told him he couldn’t do it. This was far easier than he could have ever hoped. Little did he know, the man in the blue robe thought the same exact thing.

“Alright, I’m leaving.” Alastor Moody announced to residence of Grimmauld place.

“Send Harry our love will you,” Fred asked him.

“Yeah, send him lots of love. Give him a kiss from us even.” George added.

“Oh stop it you two. You know he isn’t allowed to interact with Harry.” Hermione rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, but this is for love.” George draped an arm over Hermione’s shoulder and Fred did the same with the other. She was already regretting her decision to sit in-between the two.

“How does that muggle song go?” Fred asked with a smile on his face?

“All you need is love,” George sang as an answer.

“That’s the one.” Fred Laughed.  Hermione tried and failed to cover her ears while Fred and George serenaded her.

Moody left Grimmauld place under a glamor. It wouldn’t do for a magical eyed man to be seen on a mission where he was supposed to go unnoticed. He apparated directly at number 4 Private Drive. All of the lights were turned off save for the living room. His magical eye could see that only the Aunt was awake. The other two muggles were asleep in their beds. But where was the Potter boy? It was his job to know which places the boy most frequented. So, without wasting any time, he apparated to the park.

At first, he could see no one. The park looked as lifeless as a graveyard. He found the boy lying flat on his back, a book open by his side. If he didn’t know any better, he would have said that the boy had decided to take a nap at both an inconvenient place and time.

He rushed over to his side and wanted to curse at what he saw. A sigh of relief escaped him when he discovered a faint pulse. “Potter, Potter, wake up,” Moody said while shaking him. Nothing. He took out his wand and pointed it at the boy’s lifeless body. “Renerverate.” Nothing.

A wave of his wand sent a patronus to the order to alert them of the situation. Loud cracks accompanied the arrival of several of the members. Remus Lupin rushed to Harry’s side.

“What happened? Where is Mundungus?” Remus questioned.

“I don’t know. I haven’t been able to put my eye on him yet. I don’t think he’s anywhere around here at the moment. Smart move. If I ever get my hands on him…” Moody trailed off.

“Kingsley. Tonks. Head to Knockturn Ally. I have a feeling out friend tried to start up his business again at an inopportune moment.” Dumbledore kneeled down on the other side of Harry just as two loud cracks sounded their departure. He pulled out his wand and slowly began waving it over Harry’s lifeless form.

“What happened to him?” Lupin asked worriedly.

“Well I am afraid that I am not going to be able to give you any details. However, I fear I may have a fairly good idea what happened.” Dumbledore lifted up Harry’s shirt to show what could only be described as a bright glowing green bruise the same color as the killing curse.

“Merlin,” Remus breathed. “How could this have happened?”

“I don’t know, but I think Mundungus might give us a clue.”

They took him to Grimmauld Place and put him in Sirius’ old bedroom. Mrs. Weasley was completely against this as there were inappropriate posters of muggle women in bikinis hanging from the wall, but it was the only other private room available that was clean enough to live in.

 His breathing was too slow and shallow. His heart rate was almost nonexistent. Anyone would have thought they were looking at a corpse if they had laid eyes on him.

“He needs to go to the hospital. We are not equipped to handle something like this,” Mrs. Weasley whispered to Dumbledore as though she were afraid that Harry might wake up.

“My dear no one is equipped to handle this,” Dumbledore sighed.

“That may be but they might be able to help him far better than we can here!” Mrs. Weasley almost raised her voice. “Surviving the killing curse once is a miracle, but twice? That’s not a scar Albus! That thing might be killing him and what are you doing to stop it?”

“I agree with Molly,” Sirius said regretfully. His hand was wrapped around Harry’s in silent support. “There isn’t much we can do here. There is _nothing_ we can do here. If he dies because you refuse to get him help…”

“He will be fine,” Dumbledore said in finality. “He survived it once, he can do it again.” With that, he left the room.

“He has got to be joking,” Molly huffed. “I don’t normally disagree with the man but right now but this is one of those times-”

“You want to punch him so hard his crooked nose falls off,” Sirius supplied.

Molly glared at him. “Well not when you put it like that. But, yes.”

“What are we going to do then?” Sirius asked her.

“You tell me, you’re the one who was supposedly always good at sneaking around.” Molly threw her hands in the air.

A smile stretched out on Sirius’ face and made him look ten years younger. “Oh Molly dear, I think I can come up with something.”

Three days had passed. Not only had Harry’s condition not improved, but it had gotten much worse. He had developed a fever over the first night that had steadily increased as time went on. His friends were only allowed to see him for only a moment of time before being ushered out of the room.

“He will get better won’t he?” Ron asked his mother at dinner that night.

“Of course he will dear. He just needs time and rest.” But Molly did not sound like she believed her own words.

There hadn’t been any smiles since Harry arrived in his condition. Not even the twins seemed to be up to pulling any jokes or telling any stories. Sirius refused to leave Harry’s bedside. He claimed that it wasn’t right for him to leave his godson with those horrid excuses for muggles and it definitely wasn’t right for him to leave his side now.

Harry was running. He had been running and couldn’t stop. Something was missing and he couldn’t find it. Something very important. Something that was a part of him and now it was just _gone._

An empty field stretched out around him for miles. Nothing had changed in the time he started to run. The grass reached his ankles and the smell of summer air had hung in the air. Not even the sun _had it always been that big?_ in the sky had changed when he was sure several hours had passed. The large green light in the sky however, had gotten much larger as time went on.

At first it was a little thing, easy to ignore. Now, it cast its own light almost as bright as the unnaturally large sun that hung so naturally in the sky.

How did he even get here? Where even was here?

He couldn’t remember anything. Had he even left Hogwarts yet? Where was his friends? Where they the ones he was looking for? No. No, it was someone or something else. Maybe both. He couldn’t remember.

A clue, or a name or anything would be better than the emptiness he felt at the moment. He stopped running, and fell to his knees in the tall grass.

“This is hopeless,” he cried. “Where the hell am I?”

He didn’t think he had ever felt so alone. It was then he realized, that something was changing. It was the heat. But, it wasn’t coming from the sun. It was coming from behind him. Harry turned to look and a raging fire had taken over the field behind him. Why hadn’t he noticed it before? Groaning, Harry quickly stood up and started running again, this time it was for his life.

The fires crept up on him, burning his back and licking at his legs. He tried to go faster but nothing seemed to slow down the fires.

He tripped in his own exhaustion. The heat proved to be unforgiving.

  _It burns. It hurts. Stop it stop it stopstopstopstopstop_

Alone, and helpless. Harry didn’t know what to do. Everything _hurt_ so much, and he just wanted it all to stop. Everything was on fire and there was no magic here to help him. If only he wasn’t so _alone._

Through the sounds of the raging fire, Harry started to hear music. A voice. One he could swear he had heard before.

Looking up, Harry saw a woman. _When did she get here?_ Her hair was long and dark red. A hand was stroking his hair calmly as though he wasn’t just lying there and burning alive. But, it was her eyes that made him speak. He had seen those eyes before. It was always the second thing anyone ever noticed about him after all.

“Mom?”

The green light in the sky grew brighter.


	2. Chapter 2

“We would be glad to,” Fred grinned at Sirius after he was told his idea.

“Honored even,” George placed a hand over his heart.

“Best prank we have ever pulled yet!”

“And this time, it’s for the benefit of our dear friend.”

“Whom we are already indebted to a hundred times over.”

“No, no, a thousand!”

Sirius shushed them and looked around to make sure that no one was listening. He put up silencing charms beforehand just in case, but it didn’t hurt to check anyway. “Fantastic, but you can’t let anyone know, and I mean anyone.” Sirius warned.

Sirius had started to suspect there was something more going on with Dumbledore than he let on. He had trusted Dumbledore with his life before he went off to Azkaban and in his younger days he would have done anything the man had asked without question. But lately, some thoughts started finding their way into his mind and they haven’t been very pleasant.

They had been good friends during the first war, so why had Dumbledore blindly believed everyone else when they said that he killed Lily and James. At first, he told himself it was grief, but other actions told him otherwise. Not only did he forbid direct contact with Harry at the Dursley residence, but he even tried to forbid anyone from sending him any mail. Thank merlin Molly threw such a fuss over it otherwise he didn’t think that he would have been allowed even that. And why on earth was is too important not to take him to St. Mungo’s after he had just survived his second killing curse?

“You can count on us!” Fred mock saluted.

The plan was to sneak Harry out of Grimmauld place without anyone else knowing. Molly was in on it and planned on distracting the rest of the residents while the others did their work. Fred and George’s prankster nature, and newly found legal use of their magic made them the perfect accomplices for Sirius’ plot.

Harry was getting worse every day. If the killing curse couldn’t kill him, then the fever definitely would. Sirius might not have been able to take care of him during his childhood, but he would be damned if he didn’t take care of his godson now.

They worked together making realistic replicas of Fred and George so that if anyone walked in on them, or if Moody’s magical eye happened to go wandering, no one would hopefully suspect a thing. Fred and George would claim to be sick due to testing one of their recent inventions, and Sirius hardly left Harry’s side anymore so no one would claim anything amiss with him.

Molly knew what they were getting up to and had hoped to involve more people in their little plot, but they didn’t know who to trust. Dumbledore inspired people to follow him blindly, apparently even so far as to stopping them from taking a severely sick teenager to St. Mungo’s. It certainly was able to stop them from speaking to Harry directly at the Dursleys when he clearly needed it.

“Come on, they are all down at dinner. Moody will be here soon so we should hurry.” Sirius whispered. “I’ll make sure our doppelgangers keep up, you just get him to St. Mungo’s.”

Fred and George both placed a hand on Harry, ready to apparate. “Don’t worry, we’re experts at this sort of thing.” Fred promised, and with a crack they were both gone.

Down in the dining room Hermione and Mrs. Weasley were having an argument. Although it was Mrs. Weasley’s job to keep them from going upstairs for as long as she possibly could without drawing attention to herself, she was having trouble keeping her cool at the moment.

The others knew nothing of the plan. Reluctantly, Hermione was awed by Fred and Georges determination for their future prank shop. Mrs. Weasley was having none of it.

“I’m not trying to say that what they did isn’t stupid. But, you have to admit, it shows that they have quite the passion for their pranking if they are willing to make themselves sick over it.” Hermione argued with Mrs. Weasley.

“This passion for these pranks of theirs are nothing more than their juvenile humor gone wrong. Pranks aren’t going to save them when the death eaters come knocking at our door.” Mrs. Weasley lectured.

“You don’t know if you don’t let them try. They could come up with something that could really help someone someday. If nothing else, I’m sure we are going to need a few laughs soon.” Hermione tried to reason.

“Yeah, Mom. Everyone will probably be fighting or depressed all the time from what we’ve been told of the last war. It may be even harder to find any sort of laughter soon. We may need it.” Ron spoke up bravely.

“They are good at it too mom. This is one little mishap, soon their stock could be flying off the shelves. Can you imagine? A Weasley shop in Diagon Alley or in Hogsmeade.” Ginny chimed in.

“No!” Mrs. Weasley slammed her knife that she was using to chop onions down on the table making several people jump. “They need to get into something more practical. Their jokes are going to make them a target if nothing else. Do you think that You-Know-Who will take their insults and jokes lightly? I don’t want a target painted on their backs!”

Hermione stood up from the table, her half eaten dinner still left on her plate, and walked out of the dining room. Before she left, she turned back to say “They are already making great achievement without your support, and by now I don’t think they really need it. But it would make them happier if you were on their side for this?”

Mrs. Weasley made no attempt to follow her. In her mind, she was only doing her job as a mother to keep her children out of the dangers to come. Hermione’s words had some truth to them, but at the moment, all she could think about was her children’s safety even if it meant the cost of their happiness. A mother’s job wasn’t always a happy one.

“That..Ugh,” Hermione stomped her way up the stairs. Ever the Gryffindor, she could not understand Mrs. Weasley’s way of thinking. Sure, she could see her need to keep them safe, but it was not up to her at this point. Those boys were of age now, what they did was up to them and if they wanted to fight the war by inventing a treat that turned someone into a canary or making creating something that’s only purpose is to make people laugh, then by Merlin she would see to it that they succeeded.

She knocked on the twin’s door and opened it a second after. “You would not believe what…” Hermione trailed off. The twins appeared to be asleep. She flinched at her mistake. Of course, they were sick from working on their latest prank. Just as she was about to turn away something caught her eye.  An open box labeled Puking Pasties lay underneath Fred’s bed, slightly covered by the edge of his blanket. Suspicion lead her to take a closer look. The instructions were written on the bottom lid, easy to read.

Hermione wasn’t usually one to curse, but several found their way out of her mouth then. She turned her attention to the figure on the bed whom she thought was Fred. “Fred. Fred wake up!” The figure that looked so much like Fred did not move a muscle. “Damn it,” she cursed again. She was starting to worry about them. What if one of their pranks had gone worse than they thought?

Knowing that the only other person up there who was currently conscious was Sirius so Hermione went to go see him next. She did not bother to knock this time and walked right into Sirius’ old room. “Fred and George aren’t waking up,” She announced rather loudly. “I think something is wrong.” Hermione didn’t know if she could handle another of her friends getting sick like this. There was too much happening in this house at once.

Sirius looked honestly surprised at her outburst. It seemed for a moment that he struggled on giving her an honest answer or not. To her surprise, Hermione noticed that he even glanced at his wand a few times before deciding on what he was going to say.

“Alright just… keep your voice down and shut the door.” Sirius told her. With an eyebrow raised, she did as she was told. Hermione noticed that Sirius did not look as worried as she was and she was instantly set on alert.

“What the hell is going on?” She asked in a hushed voice. Sirius spent the next several minutes telling Hermione what was going on. She remained silent the entire time he spoke. Several times she looked like she was going to intervene, but then thought better of it. “Well, I think it’s wonderful that you’re trying to help him. But, why would Dumbledore not let Harry get the help he needed?”

“Why did he not speak out on my behalf when I was first sentenced to Azkaban? I’ve been thinking a lot about this Hermione and I don’t think he has Harry’s or my best interests at heart.” Sirius said gravely. “There has just been too many things he has done that make my hair stand up.”

“But he always has a good reason right?” Hermione looked away uncertain. She had never questioned Dumbledore before. A teacher was always the highest authority to her ever since she was little. The only reason she still trusted Severus Snape was because Albus Dumbledore still placed his trust in him. And to her, if she couldn’t trust Dumbledore, who could she ever trust?

“I’m not asking you to start questioning everything that he does, but trust be about this okay? Harry needs help but he won’t get it here.” Sirius pulled a picture out from the desk behind him. In it, four friends smiled back up at him.

She watched him look at the photograph sadly. Never in her life did she think she could ever imagine what it would feel like to lose her best friend. Currently, it looked like that may change soon. “Okay,” Hermione nodded, her mind made up.

Sirius looked up at her in surprise. “Brightest witch of your age,” he smiled and looked back down at the picture a moment more before placing it back on the desk. “Why are you up here anyway. Molly was supposed to try to keep everyone downstairs.”

“Oh, funny story actually. You know how Fred and George want to start a joke shop…”

Harry never thought that a fire could ever last this long. The heat raged all around him, no blade of grass was left untouched. It was like no pain he had ever felt before. He was sure his skin should be black by now, but in this strange world, his skin was still as plain as it was before he fell asleep.

“Oh Harry,” Lily sighed. “My sweet boy I am so sorry.” She rubbed his back as he clutched at her side trying to fend off the pain. Like a child holding onto their mother after a nightmare.

“It hurts,” Harry croaked out. “Why won’t it stop?”

“I don’t know my love, but I am here now. I’m not going anywhere” She soothed.

Harry remembered stories of muggles describing hell. How damned souls would burn for eternity for their sins. Was this it? Was he dead? If so, it’s not as bad as he thought it would be, at least now his mother is here. He thought there would be more souls in Hell besides just him and his mother. Unless that was part of his punishment.

“No, no you’re not dead just asleep. This is not the end I promise.” Lily continued to rub circles onto Harry’s back. “

Harry wished that he could actually enjoy the time that he had with his mother. But the flames would not stop _eating_ at him. “Are you real?” He asked.

“Do you want me to be?” His mother countered with a smile.

“Yes.” Of course he wants her to be real. It’s all that he ever seemed to want.

“Then I am real,” Lily declared, as if it were that easy.

The flames climbed higher around them. From what little Harry knew about people being burned to death, he knew he should have at least been choking from the smoke, but he was breathing just fine. Just where was he?

“We are in your mind.” Lily supplied.

“Why?” Harry looked up at his mother.

Lily sighed. “You were attacked. Someone hit you with a killing curse. Once again, it did not work the way it intended. But I think this time it did you more good than harm.”

“What do you mean?” Harry asked.

Lily looked as though she was thinking very carefully of her next few words. “When Voldemort tried to kill you, he left a piece of himself behind. A piece of his soul. It fed off of your magic, your emotions… but in return it protected you from any serious injury. Now that it is gone, I am afraid you have fallen ill.”

“It’s gone,” Harry said weakly. “I think… I was looking for it.” He had been chasing after _something_ when he first arrived here.

“I know my love,” Lily said sadly.

“Will it ever come back?” Harry wondered.

“Do you want it to?” Lily asked him.

Harry seemed to think about it for a moment. “I don’t know. I feel like I’m missing something. Something really important.”

They remained silent for a moment. Both listened to the sounds of the flames dancing with life. “If this is my mind, can’t I make the flames go away? Can’t I block them out somehow?” Harry finally asked.

“Yes, but it will be dangerous. They are your strongest connection to reality at the moment. If you lose that it might be impossible for you to wake up.” Lily warned.

“Please, mom. I don’t want to hurt anymore,” Harry begged. Lily was unable to resist a request like that.

“Alright then. Focus on me, only on me you understand?” Lily instructed. To Harry, it seemed easy. She was the only thing in his entire world that mattered and soon the flames disappeared as if they never existed in the first place.

Harry lifted up his head and looked around. The field looked just as empty as it had before. It was calm and beautiful, and now his mother was here. He could finally get a good look at her now. She was just as beautiful as he remembered seeing in her pictures. Her eyes were only on him and he wasted no time wrapping his arms around her in a long overdue embrace.

Tears started flowing freely down his cheeks. “Why are you crying,” His mother asked.

“I missed you.” Harry answered truthfully. In truth, he didn’t know how he could miss someone he never truly met, but here he was. He missed her in all the times he flew on his broom, and made a good grade in his classes. Or even when he was doing horrible or had a bad day. He wished he could at least write to her like his classmates got to write to their mothers. It just didn’t seem fair.

“Oh Harry, I missed you too.”

St. Mungo’s was as busy tonight. Harry was in an emergency care room. Healers raced in and out and none would allow Fred and George in the room with them. “I’m sorry, but I can’t let you see him.”

“Why not?” Fred demanded.

“You are not related to him. I’m afraid only his relatives would be allowed to see him at this time.” The healer explained.

“Come on. We are like family, brothers even. We spend almost every summer together. We spend every Christmas holiday together. That has to count for something,” George tried.

“That may be, but you are still not allowed in there. Please wait out here while we try to contact his relatives.” The healer pointed to the chairs behind them.

“What good will that do? His relatives aren’t going to come, they hate him!” Fred shouted in frustration. “Our family is all he’s got, so please let us in. We can’t leave him in there all alone.”

“He is not alone, the head healer is with him as we speak trying to bring his temperature down and running some tests, if you don’t calm down I will have to escort you out.” The healer warned.

Fred huffed and threw himself into a chair, George followed suit. “I can’t believe this, what are we going to do?”

“Well we did what we were supposed to do. Now all we can really do is wait and see,” George reasoned. “There isn’t much we would be able to do in there anyway.”

The two waited as they were told. Hours seemed to pass before a healer walked out of the room and found Fred fast asleep on George’s shoulder. He shook him awake so that they would both be able to pay attention.

“I’m not allowed to give you any details, but your friend’s fever went down. We found the cause of it but we aren’t sure about what to do with his… other problem. You’ll have to wait for the permission of his relatives before we can tell you anything else.” The healer informed him.

“We told you, they hate him. They are never going to come here,” George told the Healer.

“Yes, about that. We have tried to get in contact with them but we have received a certain about of hostility towards them. What more can you tell me about Harry’s home life?”


	3. Chapter 3

Albus Dumbledore sat in his chair in his office, reading the morning news. Not that there was ever anything interesting going on. Today, there was a particularly nasty joke about him and his wardrobe that made him chuckle. His mission to get the minister for magic to help him investigate the return of Lord Voldemort was going horribly.

The minister would not set up a meeting to talk to him, and Dumbledore had failed at almost every attempt he made to corner him somewhere. The few times he succeeded, the minister either claimed to be late to something and would rush off in a hurry or would flat out refuse to talk to him.

It was becoming tiresome along with all of the other problems he had to face. Letters had been coming in from parents questioning his sanity and his ability to control his school or more specifically, a single student. He had written back to them, urging them to head Mr. Potter’s words and to be more vigilant from now on, but none have come back with happy replies.

A knock came at his door. He called them to come in and to his surprise, a healer walked in with a notebook and folder in her hands.

“Hello, Headmaster Dumbledore. My name is Healer Williams,” The woman greeted. “I hope you have some time to answer a few questions for me?”

“Of course, is there a problem,” Dumbledore asked the Healer as she sat down.

“That is what I am here to find out,” She pulled out her notebook and to the headmaster’s surprise, a muggle pen.

“Much easier this way. I have no idea why the rest of the wizarding world has not caught up yet,” she said at the look that Dumbledore gave her. “Now, how long have you been Headmaster of Hogwarts?”

“Since March of 1965. On some days, it seems like only yesterday,” Dumbledore smiled kindly.

“That long? So you have seen your fair range of students walk through these doors?” She looked at him unimpressed.

“Yes, you could say that.” The headmaster reached down into a bowl on his desk and pulled out a lemon drop.

“Have you ever had to visit a child’s home in your time working at Hogwarts?” Healer William asked.

“When I was only a professor, yes. Many parents need convincing that magic is real or need some help adjusting to the wizarding world.” He slowly opened the sour candy and popped it into his mouth.

“Have any of these families been unsatisfactory?” Healer scribbled some notes down in her folder.

“Unsatisfactory,” Dumbledore questioned. “What do you mean?”

“Have the homes shown any kind of abuse while you were there,” She asked bluntly.

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and placed his hands together. This wasn’t a pleasant topic to discuss so early in the morning. “I have seen some ‘unsatisfactory’ homes before, yes. None of them are pleasant topics.”

“I’m sure they are not.” The healer wrote some more in her folder. “And what did you do once you found the state that the children were living in?”

“I informed the headmaster at the time of course,” Dumbledore said “It was a standard procedure then.”

“Of course,” more writing. “And how many issues like this have been reported to you since you have been Headmaster.”

“You are walking into dangerous territory here Madam Healer. This is private information.” The headmaster warned.

“I am aware, but I need all of the facts Headmaster. Answer the question please,” Healer Williams looked at Dumbledore unafraid.

“I think you need to leave now,” Dumbledore stood up from his chair. All friendliness gone.

“Fine, one more question then,” Healer Williams did not move from her spot. “Have you ever been informed about Harry Potter’s home life?”

“Leave now, or I will have you escorted out.” Dumbledore demanded.

Healer Williams only raised an eyebrow and then calmly collected her things. “The ministry will have to be informed of your refusal to answer you know. From the looks of things, I would start finding a lawyer if I were you.” With that, the Healer left the office leaving a very worried Headmaster behind.

It didn’t take him long to figure out what had happened. Sirius nearly jumped when Dumbledore slammed his door open to find the false Harry laying motionlessly on the bed. “What have you done?” Dumbledore demanded.

“What you should have done years ago!” Sirius stood his ground. “You do not get to say whether or not he gets fucking medical care Albus! You are his Headmaster and nothing more!”

Dumbledore glared at the man in front of him. “You have no idea what you have done.” He stormed out of the room with his bright cloak flourishing behind him. Hermione had to flatten herself against the wall to let him pass. The tray of food in her hand almost collapsed to the floor. Sirius stood in the doorway and watched him go.

“You think Harry will be alright?” Hermione asked Sirius worriedly.

“Right now, we can only hope.” Sirius hated now more than ever, that he was so helpless when it came to helping his Godson.

Most wouldn’t think that an old man could move as fast as Dumbledore was currently. The attendant at the visitor’s desk at St. Mungo’s was more than awe struck when he saw him race to the counter.

“I need to know which room Harry Potter is in please,” He rushed.

“H-Harry Potter? I’m sorry sir, he is not taking any visitors at the moment. You’ll have to come back some other time.” The man said apologetically.

“I am his magical guardian; it is a matter of utmost importance that he leaves here at once. Which room is he in?” Dumbledore demanded impatiently.

The man looked horrified to be on the receiving end of the famous wizard’s anger. Shaking, he pointed to the lift and whimpered, “Second floor, room 227.”

Several witches and wizards looked on curiously as the exchange took place and as Dumbledore took off once more in the direction he was instructed. Harry looked strange lying in the magical hospital. A muggle IV was hooked up to his arm, and a muggle heart monitor beeped to the tune of his heart.

The room itself was small and bare of any personal items, save for a cloak that was far too large to belong to the boy. Dumbledore didn’t have to question its existence for very long because two identical faces walked in the door that he had just come through.

“Oh, Hello Headmaster,” George greeted as if his being there as completely normal. “You owe me a galleon.” He held out his hand to his brother.

“Fine,” Fred grumbled and handed over a piece of gold. “You got lucky.”

“What in merlin’s name have you two done?” Dumbledore looked down on the two boy as though they were still in school and had merely caused another ruckus from another one of their pranks.

“Well you see; we’ve been here a while so we decided to go to the top floor to get ourselves some breakfast.” Fred explained with a happy demeanor.

“I clearly told everyone that Harry was to remain at Headquarters. I cannot condone this type of behavior boys.” Dumbledore crossed his arms.

“Well you’re going to have to,” George rolled his eyes.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Healer Williams stood in the door two aurors standing behind her. “It was a pleasant conversation we had this morning Albus, but I’m afraid your guardianship over Harry Potter has come into question. If you would be so kind as to follow these gentlemen behind me, they will take you to the ministry where you can have all of your questions answered.”

The Headmaster’s hand nearly twitched toward reaching for his wand, but he knew that would get him nowhere. If he fought his way out, they would have more cause against him from taking away his magical guardianship over Harry. That wouldn’t do for his plans for the future at all.

He held his head high and kept a kind smile on his face as he left the room. The three conscious people left in the room watched warily as he left without conflict.

“That won’t be the last we see of him,” Healer Williams sighed.

“What’s going to happen now?” Fred asked.

“Well,” The healer went to sit down in a chair next to Harry’s bed. Fred sat at Harry’s feet while George remained standing next to him. “From all the information we have gathered over the last several hours, we have enough evidence that Dumbledore will probably have his guardianship revoked, at least temporarily. He will be placed in a foster care home for a time being until a suitable guardian can be found.”

“That’s great! He can come stay with us,” George beamed.

The Healer looked at them sadly. “I’m afraid that probably won’t happen. You see, there are some requirements that will need to be met in the home and while I am sure you and your family will pass with flying colors on every other aspect, there is a matter of…funds that will become an issue.”

“Doesn’t the ministry provide some money to foster families?” George asked.

“In the muggle world, Yes. A magical guardian not only provides information for muggle raised witches or wizards coming to the wizarding world, they provide funds if need be as well. In return, they have an authority equal to their parents or muggle guardians when they enter the wizarding world.” She explained.

“So, that means Dumbledore has been paying those relatives of his to treat him like dirt?” Fred spat.

“We don’t know that.” She sighed. “But, it sure does look that way. If he claims ignorance to their treatment, then there will be quite the investigation on the matter.” She looked over the folder labeled “H. Potter” she had in her hand and looked it over with sad eyes. “Though I don’t think it will be hard to get him removed from his relatives permanently.”

“Well that’s one win then,” George smiled positively.

“Are you sure you can’t tell us anything else,” Fred asked hopefully.

“No, you’ll have to get permission from his new guardian for me to be allowed to give you any more detailed information on his health. But, it should only take a few days, you can see about speaking to them then.”

Harry’s field wasn’t empty anymore. Trees that seemed to touch the sky circled around them leaving small amounts of light peeking through. Flowers of all kinds, some Harry was sure did not really even exist replaced the tall and bland grass that was there before.

“Tell me another story,” Harry begged his mother for what seemed like the hundredth time.

“Harry, are you sure you wouldn’t rather go flying again?” Lily laughed.

No. He didn’t know how much time with her he would actually get, every second with her was precious to him. The only reason he even went flying in the first place was so that she could watch him first hand. “You are better than your father,” she had told him proudly. “He would have loved to see you.”

“Why isn’t he here then?” Harry had asked. It wasn’t right for only part of their broken family to be together at one time. Curiously, she did not answer his question.

“How about that story hmm? Did anyone ever tell you that I was brilliant at potions?” She started, and Harry shook his head eagerly. “Well I was best in our year. I remember that some of the older students even asked me for help sometimes. Sev would even beg me for help or copy my homework before class.”

“Sev? As in Snape?” Harry asked shocked. “You were friends?”

“The best of friends,” She confirmed. “We partnered up in potions class despite the teasing we both got from our own houses. James used to give us such a hard time.”

Harry made a disgusted face. “I can see why.”

Lily laughed. “Your father hated him, too. We had a falling out one year and hadn’t spoken in a long time. Towards the end, I had missed him and decided to rekindle our friendship. However…” She looked angry for the first time that Harry had ever witnessed and he knew that his mother was definitely a woman to be feared. “I’ve been watching his actions and I’m glad that I never got the chance. He is a sickening man who deserves to be as miserable as he is.”

Harry didn’t know what to say for a moment. He couldn’t imagine what it must have been like to watch your best friend become the man that they did. If Ron and him had never made up during the Triwizard Tournament, would one of them had become as miserable as Snape had? Bullying their students and those lesser than them just to feel some sort of satisfaction and power?

“I’m sorry,” Harry told her. He couldn’t imagine Snape as a child, laughing along with his mother. But, he did know what he was like now and he could see that his mother would never be friends with a person like that. “What kind of person was he like…before?”

“Shy,” she said simply. “He was smart when he wanted to be and always had his nose in a book. He used to go down to the greenhouses to read while the herbology professor worked. Said that no one bothered him in there. Of course then he would come to class stinking to high heavens because of the heat in there. Didn’t help is reputation much.”

“He was bullied,” Harry asked her curiously.

“Yes and no. As the years when on it really started getting back. He would always retaliate whenever he was picked on and no one seemed to want to bother him after a while. When he started hanging out with his new friends, he started getting nasty. Everything anyone picked on him for or pranked him for was because of something he had done.” She sighed and leaned back against a tree. “He did horrible things just to try to fit in. I just wish…”

The wind blew through the leaves making a few of them fall gently to the ground. The sun, which never seemed to move in the sky, began to dull from its previous intense light. The scarred green light seemed to be overtaking its power. Harry refused to question it in case it would wake him from his wonderful dream.

Minister Fudge didn’t want to admit it, but he was relieved when he heard the news about Harry Potter, and it made him feel like the scum of the earth. He didn’t like dragging a teenager’s name through the mud, but he wasn’t above saving his own skin. Now, he could spin the story of how the tragic child was only using You-Know-Who’s name as a cry for help from the horrible relatives Albus Dumbledore placed him with.

He just needed to find a way to place him with the right family so that he could keep the boy out of trouble. Just then a knock came at his office door. “Come in,” He called.

Lucius Malfoy stepped in and greeted the minister. “You wished to see me?”

“Yes, of course please come in. Shut the door behind you will you? I have an err… delicate matter to discus with you.” Fudge replied.

Lucius did as he was asked and sat down in the chair opposite of Fudge. “I am honored that you would trust me with something like this.”

“Yes, well… I figured you would have more experience on this matter than me. I don’t have any children you see and… well…” Fudge looked away awkwardly.

“Children, Minister?” Lucius looked surprised at the addition. “You have a problem with children?”

“Not children, a child. One we are both very familiar with. Have you heard anything lately about the Potter boy?” Fudge rang a bell on his desk and with a pop, a house elf appeared with a tray of tea.

“Nothing other than what the papers have written. Why? Has the boy done something?” Lucius took the pot of tea from the tray and poured both himself and the minister a cup.

“He hasn’t done anything. In fact, it’s more to the point of what was done to him, or even what hasn’t been done. His muggle relatives… they are not the sort of people that you would want to put in charge of the wellbeing of a child. I’m not supposed to give any details, but… He will be in need of a temporary guardian. Seeing as your boy is in the same year as him, I figured it would be a good match.” Fudge explained.

“Just how bad is the boy?” Lucius prodded.

“Well he is in a coma at the moment and, well between you and me, they said there is unquestionable proof that he had survived another killing curse.” Fudge whispered.

“Merlin, you must be joking.” Lucius gasped. It was impossible. Surviving the curse once is a miracle but twice? His master would want to hear of this at once, and gaining the guardian ship over the boy… this may be the chance he needs to earn his master’s forgiveness. “I think it sounds like a wonderful idea Minister. I will speak with Narcissa about this. I’m sure she would love another son to dote on.”

“Thank you, you don’t know how much this would do in both our favors.” Fudge grinned and took a sip of his tea,

“Oh I think I have an idea minister,” Lucius returned the smile but had not touched his drink.

Lucius didn’t hesitate to tell his master as soon as he had the chance. He kneeled in front of him, head bowed to the floor as he delivered his news. His master did not utter a word, or even move as he told him everything he had learned.

“Again?” Voldemort hissed. Spell was thrown and a cabinet shattered into tiny shards. “How is this possible?” He was both furious and intrigued. How could this _boy_ achieve seemingly without effort, something that he had spent decades trying to accomplish? He needed answers, and there was only one way he was going to get them. It would take time and effort, but hopefully, in the end, it would be all the more worth it.

“You are going to suggest someone else, someone whom you’ve known nearly your whole life and whom you will trust with your own life.” Voldemort instructed him. Nagini slithered to his side so that he could gently pet her head with his long spider like fingers.

“Who would that be, my lord?” Lucius asked curiously.

Voldemort just smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I changed the story to Drarry, but this is the last chance for protests for something else.   
> Thank you for reading please leave a comment!


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